Syracuse Football Top 25 Players of All-Time: No. 15 Vic Hanson

Syracuse Football has had a long history of success. We look back at some of the best players to play at Syracuse University. Up next, No. 15: Vic Hanson.

Syracuse Football has been around a long time. The University itself was founded in 1831, and the Syracuse football team was formed in 1889, according to Cuse.com. Vic Hanson, one of Syracuse’s best all-time athletes came well after that, but still a long time before many of us were born, in 1924-1927.

A multi-sport star at Syracuse, Hanson played football, basketball, and baseball while at Syracuse University. He was a major reason why Syracuse went 19-1 and won the national (Helms Foundation) basketball championship in 1926. In addition, he is the only individual ever enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.

Hanson was the real deal. On the football side of things he helped Syracuse football to a record of 7-2-1 in his first season in 1926, and a 23-5-3 record overall. He also helped Syracuse beat Penn State (a good football team at that time- and still is) three times, two of which were shutouts, according to Sports-Reference.com.

Though stats for Hanson are few and hard to come by, he was good enough to be named a three-time All-American forward in basketball (1925-1927), three-time All-American defensive end in football (1925-1927), and a prospect for major league baseball as well, according to Cuse.com.  He served as captain of all three Syracuse University sports teams at one point or another in his collegiate career.

After playing for SU, he signed with the New York Yankees, but his baseball career was short-lived, playing only one year in their farm system. He would also play one season of pro basketball in the ABL with Cleveland Rosenblums before deciding to come back to Syracuse to serve as an assistant football coach and later head football coach. As Head Coach of the Orange from 1930-1936, he led the team to a 33-21-5 record.

Hanson was the definition of dominant and successful in everything he did for Syracuse. His place on this list could be argued to be higher or lower because he truly was something else. The fact that he both played and coached at Syracuse when he had other career opportunities tells you how much he loved the school. For that, as well as all he achieved while at Syracuse, Hanson deserves to be mentioned amongst Syracuse Football’s Top 25 players of All-Time.